The city council signed a heads of terms agreement with John Lewis for the £100m full-line John Lewis department store which will be located to the south of New Street Station near to Hill Street and which should create 650 jobs. The new store is expected to open, subject to planning approval, in 2014. At 250,000 sq ft it will be one of the largest John Lewis' outside of London. The £3m store will cover four floors and was achieved following two years of negotiations between Birmingham City Council, Network Rail and John Lewis, http://www.rtmjobs.com/rail-news/article/1595-birmingham-station-upgrade-cemented-with-john-lewis-announcement/

John Lewis has long held ambitions to target Birmingham and it will add to the much improved retail offering that makes Birmingham a key retail destination and will add to other department stores House of Fraser and Selfridges and new international brands such as Forever 21. Indeed the John Lewis MD has noted this in his assertion that John Lewis will be the "retail glue" bringing together the city's key shopping outlets, http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/131341-john-lewis-will-glue-together-birmingham-s-retail.html?news_section=19011. The glue it seems might already be attracting other retailers as council leader Mike Whitby has begun talks with 'several big names' to join John Lewis.